The 730 nm picosecond titanium sapphire laser for treatment of café-au-lait macules in all skin types.

OBJECTIVES: Café-au-lait macules (CALM) are benign birthmarks presenting as uniformly pigmented, well demarcated, brown patches that can be distressing to patients, especially when located in cosmetically sensitive areas. As with all pigmentary lesions in skin of color patients, CALMs have been particularly challenging to treat. Here we present the first case series characterizing treatment parameters and clinical outcomes utilizing the 730-nm picosecond titanium sapphire laser for the treatment of CALMs. This device provides an additional safe and effective treatment option for these challenging cases. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patients treated at a single institution between April 2021 and December 2023. Clinical photographs were graded by 3 outside board-certified dermatologists using a 5-point visual analog scale. RESULTS: Fourteen patients (age range: 10 months-66 years, mean age: 27.4 years, Fitzpatrick skin types II-VI) were treated for CALM on the face (11) or body (3). On average, patients received 4.3 treatments, with treatment intervals ranging from 4 to 40 weeks. Treatment remains ongoing with the 730-nm picosecond laser for eight patients. Overall, patients were rated to have a mean improvement of 26%-50%. Two patients (FST III and VI) achieved 100% clearance after 4-5 treatment sessions. Our study included four patients whose CALM were of the smooth bordered "coast of California" subtype, three of whom had a mean improvement rating of only 1%-25%. The fourth patient had near complete resolution. Follow up for these patients has ranged from 6 weeks to 1.5 years. Of the patients treated, one patient experienced transient post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and another transient post-inflammatory hypopigmentation, while a third patient experienced mild persistent guttate hypopigmentation. Three patients experienced partial recurrence indicating that maintenance treatments may be needed in some patients. CONCLUSION: The 730-nm picosecond titanium sapphire laser is a safe and efficacious treatment option, in the right morphologic setting, to improve the cosmetic appearance of CALMs in a wide range of ages and skin types. To our knowledge, this is the first reported treatment of CALMs with picosecond lasers in FST V and VI patients. Our study also supports prior studies which have found that CALM with smooth-bordered "coast of California" morphology have a poor response to laser therapy as compared to those with jagged or ill-defined bordered "coast of Maine" morphology.

Nonsurgical Treatment of Postburn Hypopigmentation: A Literature Review.

The treatment of postburn hypopigmentation was primarily surgical before the advent of new technologies. Medical devices and therapies are emerging to manage scar sequelae that can be disfiguring and associated with severe psychosocial impact. These innovations have been poorly investigated for hypopigmentation, but they represent a real hope. We reviewed all articles published on Pubmed up to June 2022. Included studies had to specifically focus on treating postburn hypopigmented scars. All articles evaluating transient solutions such as make-up, and articles describing inflammation-linked hypopigmentation with no etiological details or no burn injury history were excluded. Through this review, we have highlighted 6 different types of nonsurgical treatments reported in postburn leukoderma potentially allowing definitive results. Electrophoto-biomodulation or E light (combining intensive pulsed light, radiofrequency, and cooling), topical daylight psoralen UVA therapy, and lasers (fractional lasers using pulse energies or CO2FL devices, lasers-assisted drug delivery as local bimatoprost and tretinoin or pimecrolimus) have been explored with encouraging results in hypopigmented burns. Finally, other promising medical strategies include using FK506, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, to induce melanogenesis or using melanocyte-stimulating hormones with fractional laser-assisted drug deliveries, which are expected to emerge soon.

Atypical Dyschromia in Skin of Color.

Dyschromia is a concern for many patients, especially persons of color. Postinflammatory hypopigmentation and depigmentation can affect all skin types; however, it is more apparent in those with darker skin. Some members of the dermatology community may not comprehensively understand the mechanisms of these reactions and the extent of the psychosocial effect they have on persons of color. Skin of color patients experiencing a decrease or loss of pigmentation are left with few treatment options, with no available evidence-based treatment established from a sufficient sample size. Several diseases may present with hypopigmentation and/or depigmentation despite this not being a major criterion for these conditions, including atopic dermatitis, lichen planus, discoid lupus erythematosus, polymorphous light eruption, and scleroderma. Here, we present three cases of atypical dyschromia in skin of color to highlight the underlying hypo- and depigmentation that may present with active disease and persist despite appropriate treatment.  Practice Points: 1. These cases foreground the potential for a range of dermatologic conditions to result in atypical pigment changes in persons of color. 2. Postinflammatory hypopigmentation or depigmentation may persist in skin of color despite the regression of active disease.J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(2):100-102.     doi:10.36849/JDD.7683.

Treatment of hypopigmented burn hypertrophic scars with short-term topical tacrolimus does not lead to repigmentation.

OBJECTIVES: Dyschromia is an understudied aspect of hypertrophic scar (HTS). The use of topical tacrolimus has successfully shown repigmentation in vitiligo patients through promotion of melanogenesis and melanocyte proliferation. It was hypothesized that HTSs treated with topical tacrolimus would have increased repigmentation compared to controls. METHODOLOGY: Full-thickness burns in red Duroc pigs were either treated with excision and meshed split-thickness skin grafting or excision and no grafting, and these wounds formed hypopigmented HTSs (n = 8). Half of the scars had 0.1% tacrolimus ointment applied to the scar twice a day for 21 days, while controls had no treatment. Further, each scar was bisected with half incurring fractional ablative CO2 laser treatment before topical tacrolimus application to induce laser-assisted drug delivery (LADD). Pigmentation was evaluated using a noninvasive probe to measure melanin index (MI) at Days 0 (pretreatment), 7, 14, and 21. At each timepoint, punch biopsies were obtained and fixed in formalin or were incubated in dispase. The formalin-fixed biopsies were used to evaluate melanin levels by H&E staining. The biopsies incubated in dispase were used to obtain epidermal sheets. The ESs were then flash frozen and RNA was isolated from them and used in quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for melanogenesis-related genes: Tyrosinase (TYR), TYR-related protein-1 (TYRP1), and dopachrome tautomerase (DCT). Analysis of variance test with Sídák's multiple comparisons test was used to compare groups. RESULTS: Over time, within the grafted HTS and the NS group, there were no significant changes in MI, except for Week 3 in the -Tacro group. (+Tacro HTS= pre = 685.1 ± 42.0, w1 = 741.0 ± 54.16, w2 = 750.8 ± 59.0, w3 = 760.9 ± 49.8) (-Tacro HTS= pre = 700.4 ± 54.3, w1 = 722.3 ± 50.7, w2 = 739.6 ± 53.2, w3 = 722.7 ± 50.5). Over time, within the ungrafted HTS and the NS group, there were no significant changes in MI. (+Tacro HTS= pre = 644.9 ± 6.9, w1 = 661.6 ± 3.3, w2 = 650.3 ± 6.2, w3 = 636.3 ± 7.4) (-Tacro HTS= pre = 696.8 ± 8.0, w1 = 695.8 ± 12.3, w2 = 678.9 ± 14.0, w3 = 731.2 ± 50.3). LADD did not lead to any differential change in pigmentation compared to the non-LADD group. There was no evidence of increased melanogenesis within the tissue punch biopsies at any timepoint. There were no changes in TYR, TYRP1, or DCT gene expression after treatment. CONCLUSION: Hypopigmented HTSs treated with 0.1% tacrolimus ointment with or without LADD did not show significantly increased repigmentation. This study was limited by a shorter treatment interval than what is known to be required in vitiligo patients for repigmentation. The use of noninvasive, topical treatments to promote repigmentation are an appealing strategy to relieve morbidity associated with dyschromic burn scars and requires further investigation.

Laser treatment for Cafe-au-lait Macules: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Nowadays, laser is the mainstay treatment for cafe-au-lait macules (CALMs), but no systematic review has been published to demonstrate the overall efficacy and it's still controversial which type of laser is optimal. Thus, we conduct the meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness and side effects of various types of lasers in treating CALMs. Original articles reporting the efficacy and side effects for CALMs in laser treatment were identified in PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science from 1983 to April 11, 2023. Using R software and the 'meta' package, meta-analysis was conducted for clearance and recurrence for evaluation of efficacy. And the occurrence of hypopigmentation and hyperpigmentation rate was pooled for safety evaluation. We used RoB2 and ROBINS-I tools to assess the risks of bias in RCT studies and non-RCT studies, respectively. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation system was used to assess the quality of the evidence. Nineteen studies involving 991 patients were included, which had a very low to moderate quality of evidence. The pooled 75% clearance rate was 43.3% (95% CI 31.8-54.7%, I2 = 96%), 50% clearance rate was 75% (95% CI 62.2-85.9%, I2 = 89%) and the recurrence rate was 13% (95% CI 3.2-26.5%, I2 = 88%). The pooled hypopigmentation and hyperpigmentation rates were 1.2% (95% CI 0.3-2.1%, I2 = 0%) and 1.2% (95% CI 0.3-2%, I2 = 0%), respectively. Subgroup analysis revealed that QS-1064-nm Nd:YAG laser treatment not only achieved more than 75% clearance rate in 50.9% of patients (95% CI 26.9-74.4%, I2 = 90%) but also resulted in the lowest hypopigmentation and hyperpigmentation rate of 0.5% (95% CI 0.0-2.5%, I2 = 26%) and 0.4% (95% CI 0.0-2.5%, I2 = 0%). To draw a conclusion, the laser treatment could reach an overall clearance rate of 50% for 75% of the patients with CALMs, for 43.3% of the patients, the clearance rate could reach 75%. When looking at different wavelength subgroups, QS-1064-nm Nd:YAG laser exhibited the best treatment capability. Laser of all the wavelength subgroups presented acceptable safety regarding of the low occurrence of side effects, namely, hypopigmentation and hyperpigmentation.

Diagnosing Disorders of Hypopigmentation and Depigmentation in Patients with Skin of Color.

Skin hypopigmentation and depigmentation disorders are a top concern for patients with skin of color seeking care from a dermatologist. The visual contrast between involved and uninvolved skin in these disorders makes them particularly burdensome for patients with skin of color. These disorders may have a wide differential of diagnosis, as patients with skin of color may present differently or more frequently than White patients for certain conditions. Clues from a comprehensive history and physical examination with standard lighting and a Wood's light are essential for clinching the diagnosis, although a biopsy may be warranted in special cases.

Expert opinion about laser and intense pulsed light (IPL)-induced leukoderma or vitiligo: a cross-sectional survey study.

Vitiligo patients may desire laser hair removal, skin rejuvenation, vascular treatments, and other laser or intense pulsed light (IPL) assisted treatments. However, there is a risk of inducing new depigmented patches (Koebner phenomenon). In absence of guidelines on the safe use of laser or IPL in vitiligo patients, dermatologists tend to be reluctant to administer these treatments. The aim of this survey study was to provide an estimation of the occurrence and related risk factors of laser/IPL-induced leukoderma or vitiligo. A cross-sectional survey study was performed among 15 vitiligo experts from 11 countries, with 14 questions about affected patients, involved laser/IPL treatments and the physicians' approach. In a total of 11,300 vitiligo patients, laser/IPL-induced leukoderma or vitiligo was reported in 30 patients (0.27%). Of these, 12 (40%) patients had a medical history of vitiligo and seven (58%) of these patients had stable (> 12 months) vitiligo before the treatment. Most frequently reported were hair removal procedures and localization of the face and legs. Side effects like blistering, crusting, and erosions occurred in 56.7% of the cases. These vitiligo experts based their advice on the risk of the laser treatment on stability of the vitiligo (43%) and activity signs (50%), and 50% discuss the risks before starting a laser treatment. Relevant activity signs are the Koebner phenomenon (57.1%), confetti-like lesions (57.1%) and hypochromic borders (50%). Laser-induced leukoderma or vitiligo is an uncommon phenomenon. Remarkably, a minority had a medical history of vitiligo of which 58% were stable. Consequently, most cases could not have been prevented by not treating vitiligo patients. However, a majority had laser/IPL-induced skin damage. Therefore, caution is advised with aggressive settings and test-spots prior to the treatment are recommended. This study showed significant variation in the current recommendations and approach of vitiligo experts regarding laser/IPL-induced leukoderma or vitiligo.

Efficacy and safety of picosecond laser for the treatment of melasma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Multiple laser modalities have been used for melasma treatment. However, the effectiveness of picosecond laser in treating melasma remains unclear. This meta-analysis investigated the effectiveness and safety of picosecond laser for melasma treatment. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing picosecond laser with conventional treatment for melasma were searched through five databases. The melasma area severity index (MASI)/modified MASI (mMASI) was used to quantify the degree of melasma improvement. Standardized mean differences and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using Review Manager for result standardization. Six RCTs, which used picosecond laser at 1064, 755, 595, and 532 nm wavelengths, were included herein. Picosecond laser significantly reduced the MASI/mMASI, but the results were highly heterogeneous (P = 0.008, I2 = 70%). In the subgroup analysis of 1064 and 755 nm picosecond lasers, 1064 nm picosecond laser significantly reduced the MASI/mMASI with no significant side effects (P = 0.04). Meanwhile, 755 nm picosecond laser did not significantly improve the MASI/mMASI compared with topical hypopigmentation agents (P = 0.08) and caused post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Other laser wavelengths could not be used in the subgroup analysis owing to an insufficient sample size. Picosecond laser at 1064 nm is safe and effective for melasma treatment. Picosecond laser at 755 nm is not superior to topical hypopigmentation agents in treating melasma. The exact efficacy of other wavelengths of picosecond laser for melasma treatment remains to be verified in large-scale RCTs.

Tattoo Removal in People of Color Who Were Formerly Incarcerated or Were Gang Members: Complications and Best Practices.

There are limited data about the tattoo removal process in formerly gang-involved and incarcerated people of color. This single center retrospective study was conducted on patients treated at Homeboy Industries' Ya'Stuvo Tattoo Removal Clinic between January 2016-December 2018. It reviewed data on 2,118 tattoos, and a representative sample of 502 patients was used to conduct our analysis. Treatment on 118 of the tattoos (5.57%) resulted in at least one complication (hypo-or hyper-pigmentation, keloids, or scarring). Patients who experienced tattoo removal complications (7.3%) were less likely to return to complete the removal process. More complications were experienced with higher fluences of energy, on tattoos placed by professional artists, on colored tattoos, and tattoos on clients who had a greater number of treatments. The study highlights complications and best practices in tattoo removal in people of color, a process critical to the reintegration and gang disengagement of this vulnerable population.

Comparison of the safety and efficacy of low fluence Q-switched 1064-nm and conventional Q-Switched 755-nm lasers in the treatment of café-au-lait macules: A prospective self-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Conventional high fluence Q-switched (HFQS) Alexandrite 755-nm are widely used in clinical café-au-lait macules (CALMs) treatment. There have been recent concerns regarding the efficacy and safety of low fluence Q-switched (LFQS) Nd: YAG 1064-nm lasers. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the conventional HFQS and LFQS laser in the treatment of CALMs. METHODS: Within 3 months, 20 patients underwent prospective self-controlled split-lesion treatments with HFQS once or twice depending on the recovery rate, and with LFQS six times biweekly. Then the more effective laser was selected for continued treatments. Efficacy outcomes were evaluated by a visual analog scale (VAS) biweekly during the comparative trail. Recovery process, side effects and recurrence were recorded during the trial and follow-up visit. Patient and physician preferences for laser selection were also recorded. RESULTS: The average VAS scores of areas treated with HFQS and LFQS were 2.92 ± 0.86 and 2.93 ± 1.13, respectively (p > 0.05). The most significant efficacy change of LFQS was after the fourth laser treatment (VAS score: 1.82-2.37, p < 0.001). 11 lesions treated with LFQS and 7 with HFQS achieved an optimal treatment response (3.67 ≤ VAS ≤ 4). Three patients relapsed on one side (one on LFQS, two on HFQS) and five on both sides. Adverse effects included temporary hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation, uneven pigmentation, and mottled hypopigmentation. Doctors thought 80% of patients were suitable for LFQS. 70% of patients preferred LFQS posttreatment. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy difference between the LFQS 1064-nm laser and HFQS 755-nm laser in treating CALMs in a 3-month comparative trial was statistically insignificant. LFQS is preferred by doctors and patients and is likely to help more patients achieve treatment efficacy than the HFQS within a short time, with fewer temporary adverse reactions, and a more even pigmentation. But it can cause mottled hypopigmentation. The LFQS had obvious lesion clearance after the fourth treatment.

Laser therapy for treating hypertrophic and keloid scars.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic and keloid scars are common skin conditions resulting from abnormal wound healing. They can cause itching, pain and have a negative physical and psychological impact on patients' lives. Different approaches are used aiming to improve these scars, including intralesional corticosteroids, surgery and more recently, laser therapy. Since laser therapy is expensive and may have adverse effects, it is critical to evaluate the potential benefits and harms of this therapy for treating hypertrophic and keloid scars. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of laser therapy for treating hypertrophic and keloid scars. SEARCH METHODS: In March 2021 we searched the Cochrane Wounds Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL EBSCO Plus and LILACS. To identify additional studies, we also searched clinical trials registries for ongoing and unpublished studies, and scanned reference lists of relevant included studies as well as reviews, meta-analyses, and health technology reports. There were no restrictions with respect to language, date of publication, or study setting. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) for treating hypertrophic or keloid scars (or both), comparing laser therapy with placebo, no intervention or another intervention. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently selected studies, extracted the data, assessed the risk of bias of included studies and carried out GRADE assessments to assess the certainty of evidence. A third review author arbitrated if there were disagreements. MAIN RESULTS: We included 15 RCTs, involving 604 participants (children and adults) with study sample sizes ranging from 10 to 120 participants (mean 40.27). Where studies randomised different parts of the same scar, each scar segment was the unit of analysis (906 scar segments). The length of participant follow-up varied from 12 weeks to 12 months. All included trials had a high risk of bias for at least one domain: all studies were deemed at high risk of bias due to lack of blinding of participants and personnel. The variability of intervention types, controls, follow-up periods and limitations with report data meant we pooled data for one comparison (and only two outcomes within this). Several review secondary outcomes - cosmesis, tolerance, preference for different modes of treatment, adherence, and change in quality of life - were not reported in any of the included studies. Laser versus no treatment: We found low-certainty evidence suggesting there may be more hypertrophic and keloid scar improvement (that is scars are less severe) in 585-nm pulsed-dye laser (PDL) -treated scars compared with no treatment (risk ratio (RR) 1.96; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11 to 3.45; two studies, 60 scar segments). It is unclear whether non-ablative fractional laser (NAFL) impacts on hypertrophic scar severity when compared with no treatment (very low-certainty evidence). It is unclear whether fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) laser impacts on hypertrophic and keloid scar severity compared with no treatment (very low-certainty evidence). Eight studies reported treatment-related adverse effects but did not provide enough data for further analyses. Laser versus other treatments: We are uncertain whether treatment with 585-nm PDL impacts on hypertrophic and keloid scar severity compared with intralesional corticosteroid triamcinolone acetonide (TAC), intralesional Fluorouracil (5-FU) or combined use of TAC plus 5-FU (very low-certainty evidence). It is also uncertain whether erbium laser impacts on hypertrophic scar severity when compared with TAC (very low-certainty evidence). Other comparisons included 585-nm PDL versus silicone gel sheeting, fractional CO2 laser versus TAC and fractional CO2 laser versus verapamil. However, the authors did not report enough data regarding the severity of scars to compare the interventions. As only very low-certainty evidence is available on treatment-related adverse effects, including pain, charring (skin burning so that the surface becomes blackened), telangiectasia (a condition in which tiny blood vessels cause thread-like red lines on the skin), skin atrophy (skin thinning), purpuric discolorations, hypopigmentation (skin colour becomes lighter), and erosion (loss of part of the top layer of skin, leaving a denuded surface) secondary to blistering, we are not able to draw conclusions as to how these treatments compare. Laser plus other treatment versus other treatment: It is unclear whether 585-nm PDL plus TAC plus 5-FU leads to a higher percentage of good to excellent improvement in hypertrophic and keloid scar severity compared with TAC plus 5-FU, as the certainty of evidence has been assessed as very low. Due to very low-certainty evidence, it is also uncertain whether CO2 laser plus TAC impacts on keloid scar severity compared with cryosurgery plus TAC. The evidence is also very uncertain about the effect of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) laser plus intralesional corticosteroid diprospan plus 5-FU on scar severity compared with diprospan plus 5-FU and about the effect of helium-neon (He-Ne) laser plus decamethyltetrasiloxane, polydimethylsiloxane and cyclopentasiloxane cream on scar severity compared with decamethyltetrasiloxane, polydimethylsiloxane and cyclopentasiloxane cream. Only very low-certainty evidence is available on treatment-related adverse effects, including pain, atrophy, erythema, telangiectasia, hypopigmentation, regrowth, hyperpigmentation (skin colour becomes darker), and depigmentation (loss of colour from the skin). Therefore, we are not able to draw conclusions as to how these treatments compare.  AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence to support or refute the effectiveness of laser therapy for treating hypertrophic and keloid scars. The available information is also insufficient to perform a more accurate analysis on treatment-related adverse effects related to laser therapy. Due to the heterogeneity of the studies, conflicting results, study design issues and small sample sizes, further high-quality trials, with validated scales and core outcome sets should be developed. These trials should take into consideration the consumers' opinion and values, the need for long-term follow-up and the necessity of reporting the rate of recurrence of scars to determine whether lasers may achieve superior results when compared with other therapies for treating hypertrophic and keloid scars.

Single and combined 1064 nm Q-switched Nd: YAG laser therapy in melasma: A meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: This article attempted to describe the efficacy and safety of 1064QNYL in combination with other treatments for refractory melasma. METHODS: Two researchers independently retrieved randomized controlled trials (RCTs) according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Primary outcome was evaluated with MASI and mMASI scores in control group and experiment group. The secondary outcome was evaluated with MI scores. We calculated 95% CI of standardized mean difference (SMD) and heterogeneity of the included literature by Higgins I2 test, and assessed publication bias by Funnel plots, Egger's, and Begg's tests. RESULTS: A total of 12 articles including 322 subjects were analyzed. Experiment group was treated with 1064QNYL combined with single treatment (e.g., PDL, IPL, RF, and TA). Control group was treated with 1064QNYL alone. A greater reduction of Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI)/modified Melasma Area and Severity Index (mMASI) scores were shown in experiment group than that in control group at the end of the treatment (SMD, -0.37; 95% CI -0.70 to -0.04, p = 0.03, I2  = 33%). The SMD of MI scores further supported this conclusion by -0.32 (95% CI -0.63 to -0.02, p = 0.04, I2  = 27%). As for adverse events (AEs), combined treatment gave rise to more mild burning, stinging, and erythema that resolved spontaneously. Several studies reported focal purpura, punctate leukoderma, hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, and so on. CONCLUSION: Combined 1064QNYL treatment was better than single laser treatment, with the highest short-term benefit and long-term follow-up to maintain the effect in favor of combined treatment.